Sampler-operating device.



I V VE N TOR. [aban flames- L. B. JONES.

SAMPLER OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 211.29, 1912.

ATTORNEY.

9 @mm x g kil o \J l m MN m E s 3 S M a mm m Q T 4 W. W

L. E. JONES.

SAMPLER OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1912,

INVENTOR. aban E Jams fal K ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

coumlm may)! 60.,wmm, 0. c4

L.' E. JONES.

SAMPLER OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 29, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR.

01m E Jones ATTORNEY.

ccccc BIA PLANOGRAPH CD WASHINGTON, 1:. c4

L. E. JONES.

SAMPLER OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-29, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18,1913.

4 SHEETSSKEET 4.

WITNESSES: 'IN'VENTOR,

Z2 ww. iami-da fiw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LABAN E. JONES, 0F ANACONDA, MONTANA.

SAMPLER-OPERATING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LABAN E. J ONES, cit-1- zen of the United States, residing at Anaconda, in the county of Deerlodge and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sampler-Operating Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in electric operating devices for samplers; and it consists in the novel details of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sampler, the supply source of the material to be sampled not being shown; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the sampler showing also the fiume through which the material flows and the tank into which the sample portions are discharged; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line -14 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of breaking the circuit at the end of a given reciprocation of the carriage carrying the sampler cutter, said view corresponding to the conclusion of the stroke of the cutter traveling as indicated by arrow in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing a closed circuit driving the cutter in a direction opposite to that indicated in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the breaking of the circuit at the end of the reciprocation represented by Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an end view of a modified form of timing switch; and Fig. 9 is a top plan of Fig. 8.

The present invention is particularly directed to means for automatically taking samples of fluent material of any description such as liquids, sand, powdered ores, pulps, slimes flowing down a flume, and the like, the samples being taken by means of a slotted cutter or sampler which is caused to traverse the material preferably in a path transverse to the general direction of its flow so that samples may be taken therefrom throughout the entire cross-section of the flowing stream. The object sought is to construct a sampler the cutter of which may be automatically reciprocated across the path of the stream of the material, the means for effecting the reciprocations being preferably an induction electric motor in the circuit of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18,1913.

Serial No. 693,994.

whose field are installed a reversing switch by which the reciprocations of the cutter are reversed, and a timing switch by which said reoiprocations are timed. In this way the frequency of the sampling will be under perfect control of the operator, the timingswitch when once set to run at a given speed determining the times of closing of the circuit by which the motor is actuated, and hence the intervals in which the sampler shall be pressed into service.

The advantages of the invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art from a detailed description of the invention which is as follows Referring tothe drawings, and for the present to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, R represents a rail secured by brackets 10 to the timbers 11, said rail being traversed by a reciprocating carriage to which the sampler is directly secured. This carriage is composed of a horizontal plate 12 at one end of which is a cross-bar 13 spaced from the plate by a block 1 1, the upper end of the bar carrying a grooved sheave or roller 15 engaging the upper edge of the rail. The opposite end of the plate 12 is provided with an interiorly screw-threaded block or nut 16 through which passes a screw 17, one end of the screw being carried by a bearing 18 secured to the face of the rail, the opposite end of the screw passing through a hub or hearing 19 secured to a plate 20 which is in turn bolted to the stationary casing or field housing D of the rotor or induction motor M. The casing D and the rotor M. are shown more or less conventionally, being understood by those skilled in the art. The bolts 21 which secure the plate 20 to the casing D likewise secure in position the top horizontal bar 22 from the ends of which pivotally depend pairs of brake levers or links 23, each pair of levers having mounted between them near their centers a brake-shoe 24 which engages the brake-wheel 25 carried by, or forming part of, the rotor M. By virtue of their positions as described, the brake-shoes are diametrically opposite one another so as to engage the brake-wheel from opposite sides. To the lower ends of the brake-levers 28 are pivotally coupled the outer ends of the toggle-lever 26, the togglejoint formed by said levers being cont-rolled by the plunger-armature P of the double solenoid or energizing coil E in permanent circuit with the rotor field. When this ourrent is broken so as to deenergize the coil E the weight of the armature tends to close the toggle joint thereby drawing the levers 23 together and setting the brakes; when th current is on, the coil E lifts the armature thereby expanding the joint and releasing the brakes.

The screw 17 may be considered as the shaft of the rotor, and hence a screw-shaft and it is this screw which imparts the necessary reciprocations to the carriage (comprising the members 1.2, 13, 15, 16). These reciprocations necessarily depend on successive reversals in the rotation of the screw, and hence of the rotor. Before describing how the reversals are brought about, I will first describe how the carriage actuates the reversing switch by wh ch the direction of rotation ,of the rotor is controlled. The plate 12 of the carriage has secured thereto on opposite faces, the tappets or trips 27, 27, as shown. Mounted to rock about a spindle 23 disposed transversely to the rail 1 and carried by a frame or plate 2-9 secured to the rail in any mechanical manner, is a reversing cylinder or switch 30 (more appropriately a segment of a cylinder with flat faces disposed at an obtuse angle as shown, with the axis of the spindle at the convergence of the faces), the projecting end of the spindle on the side facing the tappets 27, 27, having loosely mounted thereon an oscillating shifting lever 31 weighted at the upper end by a head 32, the lower end of the lever terminating in forks or arms 31', 31, provided with rollers r, r, adapted to be struck by the tappets 27, 27, respectively. The medial portion of the lever 31 is enlarged and provided with an arcuate slot 8 which is traversed by a pin 33 on the end of the cylinder segment 30 and positioned at a point between the axis of rotation of the cylinder and its periphery. )Vhen the weighted end of the lever 31 is in its lowest position the head 32 is resting on a block 3% carried by the plate 29, aid block arresting the downward movement of the upper end of said lever. As the tappets near the ends of their respective strokes they strike their respective rollone 1", 1, first raising the lever 31 to a vertical position; and after the said vertical position has been passed, the weighted end 32 of the lever suddenly causes it to come down on the block 3 in which sudden descent the end of the slot 5 strikes the pin 33 giving it a sudden blow and thereby causing the reversing contact cylinder 30-to rock in a corresponding direction. Disposed on opposite sides of the axial center of the peripheral surface of the cylinder are pairs of contacts a, b, a, b, as shown, the contacts 6, Z), being L-shaped, and the contacts a, b, a, I), being connected by cross conducting Wires h. ()ver the contacts are adapted to play the wipers or brushes 35, whose fixed ends are secured to strips 36 on the plate 29. When a set of contacts has been rocked toward their respectivebnushes all the brushes (three on each side of the cylinder) engage the contacts (Fig. 2 left hand set of brushes) when the contacts have been rocked from their brushes (right hand set Fig. 2) only the middle brush or wiper is in contact, such contact being with the leg (of the L-shaped contact) which is parallel to the plane of rotation of the cylinder, the remaining two brushes being out of reach of the contacts.

In the present embodiment of my invention there operates in conjunction with the reversing cylinder 30, a supplemental cylinder 30 of similar construction, said cylinder being a timing cylinder or switch and adapted to be placed where most convenient, so long as it is in circuit with the reversing cylinder. The cylinder 30 is preferably mounted on a plate 29 and is provided with brushes or wipers 35 similar to the wipers which play over contacts (Z, e, (Z, a, connected by cross wires h, the wipers 35 being secured to strips 36 as shown. As a timing switch, the cylinder 30 may be rocked back and forth by any convenient time and actuating mechanism, the preferred manner of imparting such rocking motion being shown in the form of a water tipple 37 mounted to the extension of the spindle 28 about the axis of which the timing cylinder rotates, said tipple having two compartments L", t, separated by a partition wall 33, and provided with an intake funnel or flange 39. The bottom of each compartment is disposed in the plane of the corresponding face of the cylinder segment 30 the two rocking as a unit about the axis of the spindle 2r he outer ends of the tipple compartments are provided with discharge spouts or plugs 40, a. water feed-pipe 4E1 discharging into either compartment depending on the direction in which the tipple has tipped. lVhen the water has discharged itself from one compartment, the weight of the water in the opposite compartment (which filled up during the discharging interval of the first compartment) will tilt the tipple in the opposite direction, the tipple first rocking one way and then the other at intervals depending on the rapidity of influx of the water into, and its discharge from the tipple, both of which can be regulated by the operator.

In the absence of a t-ipple, the timing cylinder may be rocked back and forth from a crank-disk 42 Fig. 8 (rotated by a motor properly speeded) through an intermediate connecting link 13 pivoted to the face of the disk, the opposite end of the link being provided with. an elongated slot .9 traversed by the pin 33 of the weighted shifting lever 31 coupled to the spindle of the cylinder This modification is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the mode of operation being obvious from the drawings. The wipers and contacts m, n, m, n, are identical with those of the timing switch cylinder already described.

Reverting again to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the lower end of the bar 13 is bent so as to accommodate the resting on the bent portion, of a plate or apron 44, the parts being reinforced by a bent bracket (Fig. 3) as shown, said bracket carrying the channel guide-piece 45. The upper portion of the apron is vertical, the part below the bracket 45 inclining downwardly. Through the a ron is inserted the slotted cutter or samp er 46 the edge of the opening of the slot diverging from the rear face of the apron so as to present a proper inclination to the stream of pulp or other material S discharged from the fiume 47 The portion of the cutter 46 projecting forwardly through the apron assumes the form of a trough 46, the enlargement (over the narrow slot identified with the cutter 46 proper) being progressive forwardly and outwardly from the front face of the apron. The samples caught by the slotted cutter are discharged into a sample tank 48, the flunie stream being deflected by the apron 44 and flowing to any suitable point Where needed.

The rotor employed to rotate the screw and hence to reciprocate the cutter is a three-phase induction motor; and in Fig. 2 thereare indicated by solid and dotted lines respectively, the line wires A, B, C, and the wire circuits 1, 2, 3, 4, A B, B A, to the several wipers or brushes 35, 35, of the reversing and timing switches respectively, and to the coil E and motor-field terminals at, y, 2, said illustration conforming to a lefthand travel of the carriage (Figs. 1, 2) or from the motor.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7, I illustrate diagrammatic views of the circuit conforming respectively to a stop of the carriage preparatory to its right hand travel or toward the motor; to its right hand travel; and to a stop preparatory to its resuming a travel to the left.

The operation may be best explained by a reference to Figs. 1 and 2, and the diagrammatic views in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and is substantially as follows :The current comes through the line wires A, B, C, the wire C running through the brake-solenoid E to the terminal 2 of the motor-field. The wires A and B by means of the timing and reversing switches are connected first to one and then to the other of the terminals 00 and g of the motor-field causing the motor to reverse in its rotations. Assuming the switches (reversing and timing) to have been rocked as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the circuit will be closed and the carriage carrying the cutter will be traveling toward the left as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The course of the three-phase circuit is fully indicated by the wiring and arrows in Fig. 2, the current through the wire C traversing the motorterminals 00 and z and wire A. From wire B the current passes through the middle left-hand brush or wiper 35 of the timing switch-cylinder into contact 6, crossing over through one of the concealed cross-wires it into the contact (Z, thence into the upper right-hand brush 35, thence along wire 2 to the lower left hand brush 35 of the reversing switch, through contact 5 into the middle left hand brush of the reversing cylinder, thence through wire AB into the terminal 3 of the motor-field, whence the current passes to the terminal a". From the terminal :0 the current passes along wire BA to the middle right-hand brush of the reversing cylinder 30, through contact 5 across one of the wires h to contact a, thence through the upper left-hand brush 35 into wire 3, thence to the lower right hand brush 35 of the timing cylinder 30, through the contact e into the middle right-hand brush 35, into and through wire A, thus completing the circuit. This circuit remains closed so long as the positions to which the respective switches 30, 30, have been rocked re main unchanged; but in time the tappet 27 strikes the roller r oscillating the shifting lever 31 to a vertical position whence it drops to the right (by the action of the weight 32) impinging on the pin 33 and thereby causing the cylinder 30 to tilt to the right, the weighted end of the shifting lever now dropping onto the right-hand block 34 (dotted position Fig. 1). The trip ping of the cylinder 30 as indicated brea s the circuit, the coil E becomes deenergized, the plunger armature P is released, the toggle-levers 26 contracted, and the brakes set (dotted position of the parts Fig. 4), the motor coming to a stop. This condition is represented in the diagrammatic view in Fig. 5, where there is no current, the circuit being broken as before stated.

It may be stated in passing that for con venience, the two switches 30, 30, are shown on the same horizontal line in the diagrammatic views in Figs. 5, 6, 7, whereas in F igs. 1 and 2, the timing switch is placed to the best advantage for purposes of mechanical illustration; but the wiring corresponds in all the views. Fig. 5 therefore, corresponds to the position of the timing switch 30 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the reversing switch tripped to the dotted position in Fig. 1, the current being cut off and the circuit broken. In time however, the water will have discharged from the right hand compartment t of the tipple 37 and the compartment t will have filled, so that the tipple will now tilt in the opposite direction from that of Figs. 1 and 2 and carry the timing switch cylinder with it. This action closes the circuit and corresponds to the condition shown in 6; that is to say, the current is reversed and the rotor of the motor likewise reversed, thus turning the screw-shaft in the reverse direction and causing the carriage and its sampler or cutter to reciprocate in the opposite direction. In this reversal of the current, the wires 2, 3, out of commission and the wires 1 and 4 (previously out of commission) are now in commission. The current from B enters the middle left-hand brush of the timing switch, passing through 0 into lower left-hand brush 35 thence along wire 4 into brush 35,through contact 7) into middle righthand brush 35, through wire 13 A to terminal a, thence through g along A B into niddle left-hand brush contact Z), crosswire it, contact a, brush 35, wire 1, brush 35, cross-wire 7t, contact 6, middle righthand brush 35, through and into A. The carriage will thus travel to the right (Fig. 1) until the tappet 27 will rock back the cylinder 30 to its original position, the tipple and timing cylinder 30 still being in their reversed position (reverse to that shown in Figs. 1, 2). This condition is represented by Fig. 7 when again the current is cut oil and the circuit broken. Then later however, the tipple again resumes its original position (Figs. 1, 2), the circuit will again close and the carriage will travel to the left, bringing us back to the first phase of the operation. lhe reversals of the carriage when once reaching the end of any stroke will depend on the rate of rapidity of oscillation of the tipple and its cylinder, so that we can regulate the frequency of the reciprocations, by a careful control. of the feed water through the pipe ll and its discharge through he spouts Where the timing switch is oscillated a motor rotating the disk t2, the timing will depend on the speed of the motor. The carhowever, can not start on its return tioke until the timing swi ch completes the circuit. The rate of travel of the carriage will of course, depend on the speed of the motor but with that the timing switch is not concerned, said switch merely controlling the frequency of the reciprocations irrespective ot the speed of travel of the cariage when one started. It will be observed rom an examination of Figs. 2, 5 6, 7, that the contacts a, 7), cl, 6, and a, (Z, c, of the rever ing and timing switches or cylinoers respectively, operate together, that is to say when the cylinders are rocked so that their brushes 35, are in contact with the pairs of contacts as specified, the circuit will be closed; otherwise it is open or broken and no current can traverse the same. In other words when the brushes 35, 35, simultaneously engage the contacts a, D, (Z, c, a, Z), d, c, there is no current,

and the carriage and its cutter or sampler are at a stand-still until the timing cylinder rocks to bring about the conjoint action of the pairs of contacts a, b, d, c, 0 1 a, 6, (Z, c.

The reciprocations of the cutter transverse to the general direction of the flow of the stream from the flume 4:7, so that a sample is taken from the entire crossscction of the stream. This is important since the sample then gives us a general average of the character of the material discharged. from the flume. The rapidity of reciprocation is controlled by the speed oi the motor, which may be set at any given rate by any species of resistance (not shown) and well understood in the art.

Features illustrated but not adverted to, fall within the purview of the skilled mcchanic and require no detailed 'clJSCllPiilOll.

H i described my invention, what I Lu Ana claim is:

1. In combination with an electric motor, a reciprocating member actuated thereby, reversing and timing switches in common circuit with the motor, brake mechanism for controlling the motor, means for breaking the circuit ant. simultaneously applying the brakes upon actuation of the reversing switch by the reciprocating member, and means for closing the circuit by the timing switch and simultaneously releasing the brakes.

ated by the tappets on the carriage, intermdiate connections between the shifting lever and cylinder switch for rocking the latter about the axis of the spindle when the lever is struck by a tappet, and means for completing the motor circuit upon the rocking of the cylinder switch in either direction.

3. In combination with an electric motor provided with a screw-shaft, a rail disposed parallel to the shaft, a reciprocating carriage provided with a nut traversing said shaft, a sheave on the carriage traversing the rail,tap pets on the carriage spaced asuitable distance apart, a rocking reversing cylinder switch provided with peripheral contact-s, mounted above the rail, a spindle for the cylinoer switch disposed at right angles to the path of travel of the carriage, a weighted shifting lever mounted loosely about one end of the switch spindle and provided with members adapted to be struck by the tappets and oscillated by the impact thereof, a pin on the end of the cylinder switch, the shifting lever being provided with an arcuate slot traversed by said pin, whereby the cylinder is rocked by an oscillation of the shifting lever under impact with a tappet, brushesdisposed on each side of the axis of rotation of the cylinder switch for engaging the respective contacts on the switch, said brushes being in circuit with the motor, and means. for completing the motor circuit through the switch upon a rocking of the latter to one of its extreme positions.

4. In combination with an electric motor, a reciprocating carriage actuated thereby, reversing and timing switches in common circuit with the motor, means on the carriage for actuating the reversing switch, a solenoid in circuit with the motor, a brake wheel on the motor, an armature for the solenoid, a brake-shoe carried by the motorcasing, and intermediate connections between the armature and brake-shoe for actuating the latter and releasing it from the bralre wlieel upon an energizing of the solenoid with a closing of the circuit by the tim ing switch and the running of the motor.

5. In combination with an electric motor, a reciprocating carriage actuated thereby, reversing and timing switches in common circuit with the motor, means on the carriage for actuating the reversing switch, a

solenoid in circuit with the motor, a brakewheel on the motor, a gravitating plungerarmature for the solenoid, a pair of brakelevers pivotally suspended from the motor casing, brake-shoes on the levers, a togglejoint connecting the lower ends of the brakelevers, the plunger-armature being connect ed to the hinge of the levers comprising the joint, whereby upon energization of the solenoid with a closing of the motor circuit by the timing switch the armature is lifted and the brake-shoes withdrawn from contact with the brake-wheel, and upon breaking of the circuit the weight of the armature drives the brake-shoes firmly against the brake-wheel and stopping the motor.

6. In combination with an electric motor, a reciprocating carriage actuated thereby, reversing and timing switches in common circuitwith the motor, a brake member on the motor, a brake-shoe cooperating with said member, means for breaking the circuit with an actuation of the reversing switch by the carriage and simultaneously applying the brake-shoe to the brake member, and means cooperating with the timing switch for closing the circuit and restoring motion to the motor and at the same time releasing the brake-shoe from the brake-member.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LABAN E. JONES. Witnesses:

MARTIN MARTIN, T. J. KERLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. C. 

